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A high-sensitivity GPS receiver carrier-tracking loop design for high-dynamic applications

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Abstract

In order to enhance the tracking performance of global positioning system (GPS) receivers for weak signal applications under high-dynamic conditions, a high-sensitivity and high-dynamic carrier-tracking loop is designed. The high-dynamic performance is achieved by aiding from a strapdown inertial navigation system (SINS). In weak signal conditions, a dynamic-division fast Fourier transform (FFT)-based tracking algorithm is proposed to improve the sensitivity of GPS receivers. To achieve the best performance, the tracking loop is designed to run either in the conventional SINS-aided phase lock loop mode (time domain) or in the frequency-domain-tracking mode according to the carrier-to-noise spectral density ratio detected in real time. In the frequency-domain-tracking mode, the proposed dynamic-division FFT algorithm is utilized to estimate and correct the error of the SINS aiding. Furthermore, the optimal values of the dynamic-division step and the FFT size are selected to maximize the signal-to-noise ratio gain. Simulation results demonstrate that the designed loop can significantly improve the tracking sensitivity and robustness for weak GPS signals without compromising the dynamic performance.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) under Grant No. 61074157, the Joint Projects of NSFC-CNRS under Grant No. 61111130198, the Aeronautical Science Foundation of China under Grant No. 20090151004 and the Innovation Foundation of Satellite Application Research institute under Grant No. 20121517. The authors would like to thank Mr. Li Yafeng and Mr. Song Shuai for their valuable suggestions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Astronautics, Beihang University, Beijing, 100191, China

    Xinlong Wang & Xinchun Ji

  2. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Centre for Transport Studies, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK

    Shaojun Feng

  3. University of Toulouse, ISAE-DEOS, 10 Avenue Edoard Belin, 31055, Toulouse, France

    Vincent Calmettes

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  1. Xinlong Wang
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  2. Xinchun Ji
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  3. Shaojun Feng
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  4. Vincent Calmettes
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Correspondence to Xinchun Ji.

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Wang, X., Ji, X., Feng, S. et al. A high-sensitivity GPS receiver carrier-tracking loop design for high-dynamic applications. GPS Solut 19, 225–236 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10291-014-0382-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10291-014-0382-8

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